The present invention relates generally to hygienic devices, and more particularly, to a novel cover for mounting on or over handles, wherein the cover dispenses a quantity of sanitizer on the user's hand in response to pressure being applied to the cover (i.e., the user grabbing the handle).
It is the normal practice to open doorknobs or depress toilet flushing handles by grasping the knob or handle with the fingers and grabbing tightly to complete a turning or depressing procedure. As multiple users grab the knob or handle, the knob or handle may become contaminated with germs, bacteria, etc., which may facilitate the transfer of disease. As such, it is well known that the spread of disease may be mitigated by reducing such contamination.
One possible method of reducing contamination is to provide sanitizing fluids near the doorknobs or handles to substantially cleanse the user's hand before the user grabs the doorknob or handle. A sanitizing dispenser may be placed near the handle to allow the user to sanitize his hands before engaging with the doorknob or handle. One drawback associated with this method is that it relies upon each individual to sanitize his/her hands before engaging with the doorknob or handle. Oftentimes individuals are in a hurry and forget the sanitization step, or are unaware of the location of the dispensing unit. In each case, one or more individuals may grab onto the handle or knob without sanitizing his or her hands.
Another contamination reducing method may include routinely sanitizing the handles or doorknobs to clean the surface of the handles or doorknobs from the germs, bacteria, etc. Sprays or disinfectant substances may be employed by maintenance personnel by rubbing or otherwise attempting to cleanse the external surface of the knob or handle. This procedure tends to be unsuccessful since it is generally cumbersome and requires routine upkeep. Furthermore, maintenance personnel typically only visit the knob or handle location periodically throughout a time period, and therefore, no assurance may be given to the user than the knob is in a sanitary condition at all times.
Another technique which may be employed to reduce contamination is to form a temporary barrier around the doorknob or handle. In this regard, a rubber, plastic, or paper cover may be disposed over the handle for a short period of time to protect the handle from users which grab the handle. The cover may be pre-shaped to fit over a handle or knob having a specific size and shape. After a period of time, the cover/barrier may become soiled as several users grab the handle or knob. Accordingly, the cover may be removed and replaced with a new cover. A common drawback with such a technique is that barrier-type covers do not sanitize the handle or hand of the user. Therefore, germs or bacteria may linger on the cover and be passed on to subsequent users. In addition, uniquely shaped handles or knobs may present a problem for this technique because the covers may not be specifically sized to accommodate the unique shape defined by such handles.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a novel means for maintaining a sanitary external surface of a doorknob or flushing handle to protect the fingers of the user from coming into substantial contact with contaminated surfaces of the knob or handle. Furthermore, there exists a need for providing a more readily accessible and easy to use sanitizing dispenser which may sanitize a user's hands and/or a handle or knob to mitigate the transfer disease. The present invention addresses this particular need, as will be described in more detail below.